World's Weirdest: Flies and Maggots

Houseflies regurgitate on food to tenderize it, spreading harmful bacteria from their previous meals. And their squirming offspring aren't much better company ... although they do play a vital role as nature's recyclers.

World's Weirdest: Flies and Maggots

Houseflies regurgitate on food to tenderize it, spreading harmful bacteria from their previous meals. And their squirming offspring aren't much better company ... although they do play a vital role as nature's recyclers.

Flies love to feast on putrefying, decaying flesh...with a side of dog poop.

There's good reason to swat a fly off your food. Every time one lands on a new food source, it regurgitates a special digestive liquid to tenderize the meal and lick up the juice. That means bacteria from its last stop just landed in your potato salad.

World's Weirdest: Flies and Maggots

Houseflies regurgitate on food to tenderize it, spreading harmful bacteria from their previous meals. And their squirming offspring aren't much better company ... although they do play a vital role as nature's recyclers.